All About Melons

CAN I GROW MELONS?

All melons are warm-season crops that prefer rich, warm soil in full sun. In most areas sow the
seed directly in the garden after all danger of frost. In short-season areas start the seeds
indoors 3 to 4 weeks before the last frost date.
Sow the seeds 1 to 1 1/2 inches deep and thin to stand 1 foot apart. Grow melons in rows spaced
3 to 4 feet apart or in "hills" with groups of 2 plants every 3 feet.
Water during dry periods.
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PLANT HISTORY

Melons, including cantaloupes, winter melons and watermelons - are popular garden crops that
grow on vining plants, which can spread out over the garden or be trained up a trellis or other
support.
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HARVEST TIPS

All melons should be allowed to ripen on the vine. Cantaloupes have a delicious aroma when they
are mature. The fruit color changes from green to yellow or tan, and the fruit generally breaks
away easily from the vine. The undersides of watermelons turn from white to yellow when they
are ready to harvest, and the tendrils closest to the fruit turn brown and dry up. The skin
becomes hard, and the fruit should make a dull "thudding" sound when tapped.
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RECIPES & STORAGE

Melons make delicious, refreshing snacks in the hot months of summer. Serve them as breakfast
foods, as a side dish for lunch, or as a desert for dinner. Cut them into cubes or scoop them
with a melon baller for fruit salads.
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Veteran gardeners often claim a drop of mineral oil placed on the end of a developing ear of
corn will discourage earworms. But Bt (Bacillus thuringiensis) sprinkled on the emerging corn
silk is more effective. The best way to avoid earworms altogether is by planting a short-season
variety like ‘Early and Often’ or ‘Early Choice’ as early as possible. Earworms usually cause
the most damage in late summer. So, if you can harvest early, the corn will be on the dinner
table long before the earworms have a chance to damage the crop.